1.

Calls For Delegates

1. Consultative Scoping Workshop for the Environmental Outlook for Canada
2. Stakeholder Workshops on Chemicals Management Plan Challenge
3. ENGO Participation at the Forest Sector Sustainability Table 

2.

ACTION ALERTS

1. Sign-on Position Letter: Bill C-45 Proposed Amendments to Canada’s Fisheries Act
2. Send Letter to Environment Minister in Support of the Nahanni Expansion
3. Send Recommendations on CEPA to Senate Environment Committee

3.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. New RCEN Staff!   

4.

RESOURCES

1. New CBC Webpage for Small Organizations in the Ottawa Region
2. Risk Toolkit: How to Take Care of Risk in Volunteering  

5.

CALLS FOR INPUT / COMMENTS / NOMINATIONS / PARTICIPATION

1. Call for Input: RCEN 2007 Annual Conference on the Environment
2. Call for Portfolios: Éclats de verre Project

6.

Events

1. Alternative & Renewable Energy Conference   

7.

Employment

1. Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Network   

1.

Calls For Delegates

i.

Consultative Scoping Workshop for the Environmental Outlook for Canada

Environment Canada has asked the RCEN to select one (1) ENGO representatives to attend the Consultative Scoping Workshop for an Environmental Outlook for Canada (EOC) on March 1-2, 2007 in Montreal, Quebec. The development of the EOC is a 4-year project initiated by Environment Canada in 2006, with the intent of creating an outlook that can be used to guide national policy as well as for reference and educational purposes. The March workshop will seek to engage participants and provide an opportunity to influence the scoping of an EOC. Travel, accommodation and meals for meetings will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines. The deadline to apply is February 20, 2007.
For more information, visit the RCEN website or contact Leela Ramachandran, telephone: (613) 728-9810 ext. 223.

ii.

Stakeholder Workshops on Chemicals Management Plan Challenge

Environment Canada has asked the RCEN to select 4 ENGO representatives working on environmental health issues to attend the Stakeholder Workshops on Chemicals Management Plan Challenge on February 27, 2007 in Ottawa, Ontario. The objectives of the workshop are for federal officials to provide instructions on what information is being sought for the Challenge, how participants are to submit this information and associated timelines. Travel, accommodation and meals for meetings will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines. The deadline to apply is TODAY, February 16, 2007. For more information, visit the RCEN website or contact Leela Ramachandran, telephone: (613) 728-9810 ext. 223.

iii.

ENGO Participation at the Forest Sector Sustainability Table

Environment Canada has asked the RCEN to select 1 ENGO representative for the Forest Sector Sustainability Table for a meeting scheduled for March 23, 2007 in Ottawa. The term length for the selected ENGO is yet to be confirmed. The selected ENGO representative will be expected to participate in a preparatory task group conference call, to take minutes and represent the views of the ENGOs during the meeting, and write up a report following the meeting. The selected delegate will receive $500 per day of preparation and $500 per day of meeting, based on a 2:1 formula. Moreover, travel, accommodation and meals for meetings will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines. The deadline to apply is TODAY, February 16, 2007. For more information, visit the RCEN website or contact Sarah Heiberg, telephone: (613) 728-9810 ext. 224.

2.

Action Alerts

i.

Sign-on Position Letter: Bill C-45 Proposed Amendments to Canada’s Fisheries Act

ENGOs are invited to sign on to an ENGO position paper calling for the withdrawal of Bill C-45, the proposed amendment to Canada’s Fisheries Act. This paper is also being used as a briefing document for MPs. To review the position paper, visit the RCEN website. To add your organization to the list of sign-ons, please contact Dorothea Hangaard at Living Oceans Society, Box 320, Sointula, B.C., V0N 3E0, tel.: (250) 973-6580, fax: (250) 973-6581. For more information, visit the Living Oceans Society website.

ii.

Send Letter to Environment Minister in Support of the Nahanni Expansion

CPAWS is inviting ENGOs to send a letter to the new Environment Minister John Baird to support the protection of the Nahanni National Park Reserve.  On January 31st, new Environment Minister John Baird expressed his commitment to move forward on protected areas in the Northwest Territories, including the expansion of Nahanni National Park Reserve. ENGOs are encouraged to let Minister Baird know how much Nahanni, a global wilderness treasure, matters to Canadians. 
For more information, visit the CPAWS website.

iii.

Send Recommendations on CEPA to Senate Environment Committee

The Parliamentary Review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) is wrapping up. Please send your Senate submissions by February 28, 2007 as the Committee must present its report no later than March 31, 2007. Senate submissions should be sent to the Committee Clerk, Keli Hogan. Please copy your submissions and letters to Kiriaki Cocolakis, CEPA Coordinator. To view ENGO Parliamentary Committee submissions, visit the RCEN website. For more information contact Kiriaki Cocolakis, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 236.

3.

Announcements

i.

New RCEN Staff!

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) would like to welcome Jude Louis, in his new position as Accounting Clerk at the RCEN. Jude will be responsible for Finance and Accounting issues at the RCEN. Jude can be reached via e-mail at: jude@cen-rce.org, or telephone at (613) 728-9810 ext. 230, in English or French.
Welcome to the RCEN, Jude!

4.

Resources

i.

New CBC Webpage for Small Organizations in the Ottawa Region

A new webpage, Pitch a Story, on the CBC website has been created to help small organizations in the Ottawa Region tell their stories. The guide is meant to help people in the community who have a story to tell but don’t know how to get CBC to cover it. ENGOs are invited to send the weblink to other community organizations in the region. Much of the information on the webpage, such as how to pitch a story and how to request specific workshops could also be useful for other small organizations across the country.
For more information, visit the Pitch a Story webpage or contact Miriam Fry, Director of Programming Outreach, tel.: (613) 288-6489.

ii.

Risk Toolkit: How to Take Care of Risk in Volunteering

A new Risk Toolkit: How to Take Care of Risk in Volunteering is now available. The toolkit explains the risks associated with volunteers and proposes how to deal with them. It is a resource for any organization that involves volunteers – whether in the voluntary, statutory or private sector – and aims to simplify risk management for organizations just getting to grips with risk. The toolkit emphasizes that ‘risk’ is not inherently bad and that risk-taking is an essential part of volunteering. To receive the guide from the Institute for Volunteering Research and Volunteering England, published in 2006, as a 60 page 3618 KB PDF document, email Saul at info@sustain.web.ca.

5.

Calls for Input / Comments / Nominations / Participation

i.

Call for Input: RCEN 2007 Annual Conference on the Environment

The RCEN Conference Planning Committee is asking for your feedback on ideas for this year's conference themes. RCEN members are invited to send in their comments and suggestions, and to choose 3 preferred themes from the following list, in order of preference, and send them to Claire Sales no later than February 23, 2007: 1) Celebration of RCEN’s 30 years of Successes, 2)The Use of Science and Knowledge by Government Agencies, 3) Health and the Environment, 4) Intergenerational Bridge-building: Involving Youth in the Environmental Movement, 5) Water, 6) Interaction between Science and Government  Agencies, and the Involvement of Youth, 7) Ecosystem Health, 8) Raising the Bar - Strategies for Success in the Environmental Movement.
For more information, contact Claire at tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 221.

ii.

Call for Portfolios: Éclats de verre Project

The Côte-des-Neiges Maison de la culture in Montreal is seeking visual artists sensitive to environmental issues, to send in portfolios for their Éclats de verre exhibit. The goal of the exhibition is to take a playful, poetic look at environemtal issues. Portfolios must be received by the Côte-des-Neiges maison de la culture by February 23, 2007. They must include: a portfolio of 10 photographs of your recent work; a complete and up-to-date resume, and; a short description of your proposal. Submit your portfolio to: Maison de la culture de Côte-des-Neiges, Projet Éclats de vert, 5290, chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1Y2. For further information, phone (514) 872-6889.

6.

Events

i.

Alternative & Renewable Energy Conference

Canada Forum is currently organizing a Conference on Alternative & Renewable Energy, entitled “Opportunities to Develop Renewable Energy Projects with First Nations, Industry and Government Partnerships” , taking place on April 16-17, 2007 in Toronto. ENGOs are invited to attend this multi-stakeholder conference to learn how First Nations, industry and government can work together to create Green Energy Projects. Participant will receive information on how to partner with private sector companies and First Nations, ways to structure agreements, financing strategies, and step-by-step instructions to develop projects.

7.

Employment

i.

Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Network

The RCEN is seeking a dynamic and proven executive with seasoned leadership skills to fill the position of: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
If you are passionate about the environment and thrive in a lively and fast-paced workplace, this is an opportunity to champion the cause in Ottawa. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will assist and facilitate RCEN members and Regional Affiliates in achieving their goals both individually and collectively within their own communities, nationally and internationally. The successful candidate will have a proven record as a strategic thinker and manager, and an ability to work cooperatively and lead a dedicated and hardworking team in a small, dynamic organization. S/he will have a solid command of English and French. The deadline to apply is April 9, 2007.